diff --git a/wp-includes/option.php b/wp-includes/option.php
index 722d1f30d4..509ec44d6a 100644
--- a/wp-includes/option.php
+++ b/wp-includes/option.php
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ function get_option( $option, $default = false ) {
  * @param string $option Option name.
  */
 function wp_protect_special_option( $option ) {
-	$protected = array( 'alloptions', 'notoptions' );
-	if ( in_array( $option, $protected ) )
+	if ( 'alloptions' === $option || 'notoptions' === $option )
 		wp_die( sprintf( __( '%s is a protected WP option and may not be modified' ), esc_html( $option ) ) );
 }
 
@@ -360,6 +359,10 @@ function add_option( $option, $value = '', $deprecated = '', $autoload = 'yes' )
 function delete_option( $option ) {
 	global $wpdb;
 
+	$option = trim( $option );
+	if ( empty( $option ) )
+		return false;
+
 	wp_protect_special_option( $option );
 
 	// Get the ID, if no ID then return